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According to a Town of Milton report presented to town council Monday night, the project is now estimated at costing nearly $63 million, which includes $56 million to construct the velodrome.

In a presentation, the Town’s Community Services Director Jennifer Reynolds described the scope of the project to councillors, explaining how the budget has been updated to reflect changes in the plan.

The original plan had the velodrome being built near Dymott Avenue and Tremaine Road, but has since been revised to erect the 154,000-square-foot facility at a better suited long-term location further west and slightly to the south of Dymott, she said.

“The new location did require the extension of Louis Saint Laurent (Avenue) and the construction of Pan Am Boulevard,” said Reynolds, adding that the road segments were built earlier than anticipated, but will be critical to the development of the Milton Education Village.

She said those roads are being funded through development charges. As the surround lands are developed the cost of the roads will also be recovered from future developers.

Reynolds also detailed how the velodrome design has been enhanced to function as both a high performance cycling centre and a community-based recreation facility.

The amendments, which will be funded through development charges from recreation facilities, include sufficient change rooms for cycling and community users and an infield capable of holding three basketball, four volleyball or nine badminton courts. The facility will also include a bike repair shop, a bike retail shop, a café, multipurpose room, office space, fitness and conditioning facilities, a walking/jogging track and non-cycling related storage.

Council held a recorded vote to receive the information and related recommendations from staff that included the approval of the updated capital budget and funding sources for the project. It passed 9-2, with Ward 4 Councillor Rick Malboeuf and Ward 2 Councillor Greg Nelson, both of whom have been vocal about their opposition to the project, voting against it.

Just before the vote, Malboeuf told his fellow councillors he thought the project would be further along before he stood in front of them saying, “I told you so.”

When the project first came before council, he said it was estimated at costing $40 million, something he believed couldn’t be done.

“The new construction cost will be $56 million, 40 per cent higher than what we were told less than a year ago and we’ve just begun construction,” he said. “I suspect that cost will increase even higher as we move down the road on this.”

He continued that the budget as a whole for the project has increased 50 per cent from $42.2 million to nearly $63 million.

“I know it’s too late to stop this runaway train, but I for one am glad I didn’t purchase a ticket to board this train,” he said.

Mayor Gord Krantz defended the project, stating that in four to five years, Malboeuf and Nelson will be proven wrong.

“I understand the concerns and rightfully so, I don’t make light of it,” he said.

Krantz noted the Town is expecting more funds than anticipated through the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games’ Legacy Fund. About $750,000 will be received to cover operating costs for a 20-year period, up from the original estimate of $500,000.

“I think it (the velodrome project) will be a benefit in the long run for this community.”

Nelson echoed Malboeuf’s remarks, adding that there’s no long-term plan in place of how the facility will be managed, which has him concerned.

“It’s naive to think the taxpayers of Milton are going to be exempt because we are relying on federal and provincial funding,” he said.

The Town’s capital contribution to the construction of the velodrome remains at $17.6 million and is capped off at that amount.

Reynolds told the Champion after the meeting that the $16 million increase to construction is being funded by Sports Canada, so there’s no extra cost for the Town. The early construction of roads and the site work costs are being funded through development charges.

The facility’s targeted completion date is September, 2014. It will house cycling events for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.
This story was updated at 2 p.m.